The Sherwood Rangers (Notts Yeomanry) were a tank unit equipped
with M4 Shermans and Sherman Fireflies. They landed on Gold Beach on D Day, with
orders to support 231st Brigade and advance on Bayeux. They reached the
outskirts of the city, now in supprt of 55th Brigade, on the evening of 6th June
1944, being the first British unit to do so. Mines blocked the way, and as no
specialist Sherman Flails were available to clear the way, the united decided to
withdraw to a safe position, and attack with 2nd Essex the next morning. In the
early hours of 7th June, British troops finally entered Bayeux, with the
Sherwood Rangers at the head of them.

From Bayeux the unit pushed inland, and was heavily involved in
the fighting for Tilly-sur-Seulles. It was here that one of the unit was killed,
war poet Keith Douglas, who is buried in Tilly
War Cemetery.

The memorial was unveiled in September 1993; this was the first
one in the grounds of the Bayeux Museum and permission was granted because the
unit had been the liberators of Bayeux in 1944.